Balthus biography

Crucify the reality

29 February 1908 19 February 2001 Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, known as Balthus, artist was born on February 29, 1908 in Paris. The family is of Polish origin. The father is Erich Klossowski, Polish painter and art critic. The mother is Elisabeth Spiro, painter, Polish-Russian source. The brother is Pierre Klossowski, future writer. Householder spent his youth in Berlin, Bern and Geneva following the restless parents. To encourage him on the way of painting is the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke, friend and lover of the mother. In 1921 Rilke convinces him to publish a collection of children's drawings on his cat Mitsou. It grows in contact with painters such as Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse, Joan Miro and Pierre Bonnard. And ' friend of novelists Albert Camus, André Gide and playwright Antonin Artaud. In the early 1920s travelling in Italy. In 1925 he settled in Florence, visiting all the cities. Strikes Piero della Francesca, especially the opera "the legend of the true cross". Acquainted with Carlo Carrà and Felice Casorati. From 1927 he devoted himself entirely to painting. The first one takes place in 1934, the year in which he paints one of his early masterpieces, "La Rue". It is organized in Paris at the Galerie Pierre, one of the most famous in the city. It's an event. André Masson is outraged but Antonin Artaud writes: "Balthus uses reality to better crucify it". Beginning in the 1930s, Balthus specializes in essential interiors, Twilight colours often are teenage girls from the melancholy air and enigmatic. In 1936 he moved to the Cour de Rohan. Go find him Pablo Picasso. In this home run portraits of viscountess de Noailles, Derain and Joan Miró with daughter Dolores, La montagne, Les enfants. The latter painting is purchased from Picasso. In 1937 marries Antoinette de Watteville. Born Stanislas and Taddheus. Paints big landscapes, including Paysage d'Italie, La chambre, Le passage du commerce Saint-André, Colette de profil. His fame grows. In 1961 he moved to Rome, thanks to the invitation of the Minister of culture André Malraux. Heads for more than fifteen years the Academy of France. Proposes the restoration of Villa Medici. Malraux calls it "the second Ambassador of France in Italy". In 1962 in Kyoto, where he goes to find Japanese artists to exhibit at the Petit Palais, Setsuko Ideta, from a 20-year-old knows the ancient samurai family. Becomes his model and inspiration, having reached in Rome. In 1967 they marry. In 1972 they have a daughter, Harumi. In the capital knows Federico Fellini. Italian filmmaker said, "Appeared before my eyes a great actor, between Jules Berry and Jean-Louis Barrault. tall skinny, aristicratico profile, glance from Dominator, masterful gestures, with enigmatic, metaphysical diavolesco, any such thing: a Rebirth and a Prince of Transylvania". Balthus moved in 1977 to Rossiniere, in the Swiss canton of Vaud. Becomes a former chalet hotel. Here he died on February 19, 2001, ten days before his 92nd birthday. Then comes the book "memoirs", collected by Alain Vircondelet, published by Longanesi. To collect and reprocess the material about the great artist, it took two years.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.